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    The Hunter's Cookbook: The Best Recipes to Savor the Experience
    The Hunter's Cookbook: The Best Recipes to Savor the Experience
    The Hunter's Cookbook: The Best Recipes to Savor the Experience
    Ebook427 pages3 hours

    The Hunter's Cookbook: The Best Recipes to Savor the Experience

    By Steve Chapman and Annie Chapman

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    About this ebook

    Bestselling author and avid hunter Steve Chapman (A Look at Life from a Deer Stand, more than 280,000 copies sold) teams up with his wife, Annie, to offer delicious recipes for wild game, along with complementary side dishes and desserts. Sprinkled among the more than 190 recipes are hints for preparing wild game, cooking tips, hunting quotes from Steve’s popular books, and wildlife line drawings.

    Readers will discover tasty and creative recipes for cooking all types of game, including:

    • deer
    • elk
    • moose
    • bear
    • turkey
    • pheasant
    • grouse
    • alligator
    • fish

    Whether experts or novices in the kitchen or at the barbecue, readers will find new and exciting adventures for their taste buds.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarvest House Publishers
    Release dateAug 1, 2012
    ISBN9780736948685
    The Hunter's Cookbook: The Best Recipes to Savor the Experience
    Author

    Steve Chapman

    Steve Chapman and his wife, Annie, are award-winning musicians who take their message of Christ-centered family to fans all over North America. Steve’s enthusiasm for Jesus, family, hunting, and humor shine in his books, including A Look at Life from a Deer Stand (nearly 300,000 copies sold), The Hunter’s Cookbook (with Annie Chapman), and Great Hunting Stories.

    Read more from Steve Chapman

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      Book preview

      The Hunter's Cookbook - Steve Chapman

      (www.handloadingforhunting.com)

      Introduction

      by Annie Chapman

      THE HUNTER’S COOKBOOK was a welcomed writing project for Steve and me. For the past several years Steve has been busy writing books to inspire men with the insights he’s gleaned from the outdoors, while I’ve been occupied with addressing topics that appeal to women. Now, for the first time in a long time, we get to be a writing team.

      Steve’s eagerness to work on this book was on the tip of his fingers. He’s always looking for a reason to pen more stories about hunting and fishing. I chuckle at what he usually says when he heads out the door to enjoy a deer hunt or go to a lake with his rod and reel: Hey, babe, I’m off to do more book research!

      My enthusiasm for this writing came easy for two reasons. First, it is a pleasure to provide a collection of wild game recipes we’ve enjoyed through the years. The main dishes favored by our family (and relatives, friends, and friends of friends) include mostly venison, elk, and turkey, so those sections contain more entries. Thankfully, other contributors’ palates range wider, so we’ve included some of their favorite recipes for other species.

      The second reason I gladly got involved has much to do with growing up on a farm in West Virginia. Although my childhood included a few more creature comforts than my parents had growing up (a fancier woodstove, more efficient water pump, and eventually indoor plumbing), I still recall a time when self-sufficiency was a necessary way of life. For example, our family lived quite a distance from a well-stocked grocery store, and there certainly were no restaurants close by. Our trips to town were limited to occasional runs for staples, such as flour and sugar. For the most part, the rest of our shopping was done in our garden.

      In my younger years, we didn’t have a refrigerator or freezer, so we canned and cured our vegetables and meats...or ate them before they spoiled. Except in the winter when there may have been a spare hog or steer to butcher and the occasional barnyard chicken to chase down and prepare, much of the animal protein our family enjoyed came from the woods, fields, and streams of the farmland around us via the hunting and fishing skills of my dad and, later, my brothers.

      From deer to grouse, from squirrels to catfish, the range of consumable critters was intensely valued. Without the harvest of the land, we wouldn’t have been as nourished as we were, especially during the leaner economic times.

      Because of my deep appreciation for the natural resources God provides that helped sustain my parents, my five siblings, and me, I’m excited about offering a book that will help you appreciate and utilize the bounty of the land. I sincerely hope you will find this book a useful resource for savoring the rewards of the hunt. The hunting and fishing stories Steve has included, which I suggest you read aloud during dinner, give an added dimension to this cookbook that is unique and entertaining. May all the information be used to bless those who put their feet under your table.

      Part 1

      BIG GAME

      VENISON

      IN THE EARLY 1900s, THE WHITE-TAILED DEER POPULATION was thought to be as low as 500,000 in North America. Thankfully conservation and good hunting regulations have helped increase and sustain the population at healthy levels. Estimates today have the overall herd at more than 20 million, plenty of deer to do their part in nature’s life cycle, to let us enjoy watching them, and to allow us to safely harvest some for our tables. Along with the joy of the fair chase, I thoroughly enjoy the other benefit hunting brings, as evidenced in this little poem I wrote several years ago.

      THE RECIPE

      I saw the deer and took its life

      Then gave it to my skillful wife

      She added leeks and tall morels

      A secret spice I dare not tell

      And deep-red fruit of tomato vines

      Legumes and fire and evening time

      Bread of wheat and coffee hot...

      She made me glad I took the shot!

      What a wonderful food source God has given us in the deer! One of the advantages of using venison is the lack of fat content. If you’re interested in keeping your diet healthy and nutritious, then deer meat is a viable alternative. A good hunting buddy of Steve’s had heart bypass surgery. He said he feared that the nutritionist in charge of tweaking his diet would eliminate his favorite meat. Much to his delight, she said he could eat all the venison he wanted. It’s considered heart friendly.

      So whether whitetail, mule deer, coastal black-tail, or any of the imported exotics, we can be grateful for the sustenance they provide. And there might be as many ways to prepare deer for consumption as there are deer to consume! The following recipes have been enjoyed by many over the years. We hope you enjoy them too.

      Venison Cooking Tips

      •    An important key to a good venison meal is to make sure the raw meat is prepared correctly. Clean away all fat, silver skin (the white membrane), tendons, and connective tissue. Remove the bones. Never cut into the bone when deboning or preparing venison. Cut around the bone to remove the meat. Put the carefully cleaned meat in a large bowl of cold water with a generous amount of salt. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Let the meat sit for a few hours (even a day), and then drain. Rinse the salt off. Now it’s ready to freeze or cook.

      •    Never freeze wild big game in plastic wrap. Several layers of freezer paper will help to avoid freezer burn, which venison is especially susceptible to because of its low fat, high water content. Be sure to date the freezer packages and use meat within eight months.

      •    To avoid any gamy taste, let the meat thaw slowly in the refrigerator. This may take a couple of days. Never use hot water to hurry the thawing process. If you need to quickly thaw the meat, leave the venison in the freezer paper and let it sit in cold water.

      •    There are two basic cuts of meat to be used in preparing venison. The more tender cuts of meat come from muscles that are not used a lot, including the back (the coveted back tenderloin called backstrap) and parts of the legs. These cuts should not be overcooked and can be prepared rather quickly. The cuts that come from the deer’s working muscles that are used vigorously in the everyday life of the animal should be cooked at a lower temperature and for a longer period of time for best results. A Crock-Pot is ideal.

      •    Because of its lack of grease, venison tends to dry out. One remedy is to use a moist cooking method, such as stewing, braising, or boiling. When cooking meat that tends to be less tender, be sure to cook it longer and more slowly. A Crock-Pot is a perfect solution when preparing these cuts of meat. Add a packet of dry soup mix with some water and onions, and you will not be disappointed.

      •    If you use a dry-cooking method (grilling or broiling), be sure to reduce the cooking time. Cook the meat less well done than you might otherwise, and baste the meat while it cooks so it won’t dry out.

      •    Venison should be served immediately after grilling. If you let the meat cool, the fiber in the muscles will firm up and the meat will be less tender.

      •    How can you be sure wild game meat is done? Use the fork tender method. If you can cut it easily with a fork, it’s done.

      •    When frying with butter, make sure the heat isn’t hot enough to burn the butter.

      •    When frying with oil, remember that really hot oil causes the meat to tighten and become less tender.

      Venison Stroganoff Delight

      1 lb. ground venison

      1 medium onion, thinly sliced

      8 oz. mushrooms, fresh, cleaned, and stemmed

      1 clove garlic, fresh, minced

      2 T. olive oil

      1 T. Worcestershire sauce

      1 12-oz. pkg. egg noodles

      1 10.5-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

      1 10.5-oz. can beef broth

      ½ cup sour cream

      1 pkg. beef and mushroom dry soup mix

      Cook ground venison and drain in colander, removing as much fat as possible. (If desired, you can rinse it under warm water to remove more fat.) Place meat in a 6-quart pan and set aside.

      In a skillet, sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil. Add Worcestershire sauce and simmer.

      Prepare egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

      Whisk soup, broth, dry soup mix, and sour cream in a bowl. Stir mixture into meat and bring to boil. Immediately reduce heat and simmer uncovered for a few minutes.

      Serve hot over the egg noodles.

      Tip: With the meat and starch taken care of, add a green salad and supper is ready!

      Venison Burger Casserole

      1 lb. ground venison

      8-oz. pkg. egg noodles

      1 cup celery, chopped

      1 cup onion, chopped

      3 cloves garlic, minced

      1 cup green bell pepper, diced

      4 T. butter

      1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

      1 tsp. salt

      ¼ tsp. black pepper

      1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

      Cook and drain the venison burger.

      Prepare egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

      Sauté celery, onion, garlic, and bell pepper in butter. Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper and stir. Add egg noodles to mixture and stir.

      Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes. Make sure it is nice and bubbly all over.

      Cover meat mixture with cheese and put back into the oven until the cheese is melted.

      Tip: This casserole usually feeds six.

      Stir-fry Venison

      1 lb. venison backstrap or steak

      nonstick cooking spray

      1 T. olive oil

      1 large onion, chopped

      1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

      3 cloves garlic, minced

      1 T. Worcestershire sauce (gluten free optional)

      1 tsp. hot sauce

      1 tsp. cornstarch

      ¼ cup water

      2 cups rice, cooked

      Cut venison into strips. (Venison is easier to cut if partially frozen.)

      Coat a wok with cooking spray or use a heavy, lightly greased skillet. Add oil and heat on medium high until hot. Add venison and stir-fry 1 minute. Add vegetables and stir-fry until veggies reach desired tenderness. Now add sauces and mix well.

      In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch and water. Add to meat and vegetables, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.

      Serve over rice.

      Tip: This recipe usually feeds four people.

      Best Ever Venison Roast

      3 lbs. venison roast

      salt

      pepper

      garlic powder

      1 cup flour

      3 T. oil

      1 large onion

      1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

      1 cup water

      hot sauce to taste

      Trim the roast of visible fat. Score the roast with thin cuts on the diagonal to help the meat be more tender. Sprinkle all sides of meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge in flour.

      Pour oil in frying pan and heat until hot. Carefully place roast in oil and brown on all sides.

      Remove meat from frying pan and place in roaster or covered pan.

      Put the remaining ingredients on the meat and place in oven.

      Bake at 300° for three hours or until done.

      Serves 10 to 12 people.

      Tip: Use the drippings to make Poor Man’s Gravy.

      Venison Meatballs

      2 lbs. ground venison

      nonstick cooking oil

      1 envelope onion soup mix

      1 cup ketchup

      1½ cups water

      ¼ tsp. garlic powder

      1 tsp. oregano

      1 T. Worcestershire sauce

      Form ground venison into meatballs. Brown them in a lightly greased skillet. Remove from stove.

      Mix remaining ingredients together. Pour sauce over meatballs and put into oven.

      Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until done.

      Tip: Serve with spaghetti and toasted Italian bread.

      Venison Meatballs Supreme

      ½ lb. ground venison

      1 lb. ground round hamburger

      1 can water chestnuts, diced

      ¾ cup bread crumbs, dry and fine

      1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

      1 tsp. parsley

      1 egg

      1½ tsp. salt

      ⅛ tsp. pepper

      ½ cup milk

      Sauce

      1 13.5-oz. bottle ketchup

      1 10.5-oz. jar currant jelly

      Meatballs

      Mix together all ingredients, and roll into walnut-sized balls.

      Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 40 minutes.

      Sauce

      In a pan, heat jelly and ketchup together and bring to a boil.

      Pour over meatballs and heat again, simmering until the meatballs and sauce are bubbly and all the flavors have mingled.

      Serve hot or at room temperature. A great party food served with toothpicks.

      Tip: Venison tastes best when it is served in a combination of sweet and salty flavors. The currant jelly gives this dish the sweetness that will make it more palatable to those who are not venison fans...yet.

      SOUL FOOD

      Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday (Psalm 37:5-6).

      Venison Loaf

      2 pkgs. crescent rolls

      1 lb. ground venison

      1 lb. ground pork or turkey sausage

      1 medium onion, chopped

      1 24-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

      1 16-oz. container of small-curd cottage cheese

      1 egg

      ½ cup Parmesan cheese

      16 oz. mozzarella cheese

      ½ cup milk

      ¼ cup sesame seeds

      In a 9 x 13 pan, stretch out one package of crescent rolls, forming a solid rectangle of dough.

      Brown the ground venison, sausage, and onion. Drain off fat. Add spaghetti sauce and stir.

      In another bowl, mix cottage cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese.

      Now in the pan, layer the ingredients as follows:

      ½ of meat mixture

      cottage cheese mixture

      ½ of mozzarella cheese

      rest of meat mixture

      rest of mozzarella cheese

      Unfold the second package of crescent rolls and stretch out to form one rectangle. Lay it on top of the meat and cheese mixture. Seal the edges of dough together. Brush a little milk on top of crust and sprinkle on sesame seeds.

      Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

      Tip: Serve with Evelyn’s Potato Salad

      Easy Venison Meat Loaf

      1 lb. ground venison

      1 lb. hamburger

      2 eggs

      ¼ cup ketchup

      ½ tsp. seasoned salt

      1 tsp. curry powder

      Mix together all ingredients and form into a loaf.

      Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until done.

      Tip: This tasty and easy main dish is great for teaching young children or grandchildren to cook. Watch their faces as they announce to the family that they made supper!

      Easy and Hearty Venison Sausage Chowder

      1 lb. ground venison sausage

      1 15-oz. can cream-style corn

      1 15-oz. can potato soup

      Brown sausage in a skillet, drain, and put into a Crock-Pot. Pour the creamed corn and potato soup into the Crock-Pot and stir.

      Turn Crock-Pot to low setting and cook for 6 to 8 hours or turn to high for shorter cooking time of 3 to 4 hours.

      Old Timer Mountaineer Hash

      1 medium onion, chopped

      1 medium green pepper, chopped

      3 T. butter

      1 lb. ground venison

      2 cups canned tomatoes, undrained and chopped

      1 tsp. chili powder

      ¼ tsp. pepper

      ½ cup rice, uncooked

      1 tsp. salt

      Cook onion and pepper in butter until the onion is yellow. Add ground venison and cook until mixture falls apart. Drain fat.

      Add tomatoes, chili powder, pepper, rice, and salt. Mix and pour into greased baking dish. Cover.

      Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

      SOUL FOOD

      How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way (Psalm 119:103-04).

      Venison and Beef Meat Loaf

      1 medium onion, diced

      1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed

      ½ lb. bacon, chopped

      1 lb. ground venison

      1 lb. ground hamburger

      1 egg

      1 pkg. onion soup mix

      ½ cup oatmeal, dry

      salt

      pepper

      Topping

      1 cup ketchup

      2 T. Worcestershire sauce

      2 T. mustard (or honey mustard)

      Sauté onion, garlic, and bacon in a skillet. (The bacon doesn’t have to fully cook because it will be baked.) Drain grease, remove from skillet, and allow mixture to cool.

      Place ground venison and ground beef in a large bowl. Add egg, onion soup mix, and dry oatmeal. Add onion,

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